Sterilizer.



STERILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3. ma.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

0 I 76 I K f c R Z m IIIHIIIILIIIHIIIYIH IIIHIIII'ITIHIHIHI m: mum-s rsnws a: Pno'ro unm wAsmm-mm u c HERMINE BAEHR, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STERILIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filedAugust 13, 1913. Serial No. 784,599.

To aZZwlwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, i-inmrimi BAEHn, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sterilizers; and I do herebydeclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the inventiomsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention comprehends improvements in sterilizers and relates more particularly to those which are especially adapted for sterilizing bottles and clothes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a sterilizer so constructed as to fit within the common type of wash boiler and which when in one position will support a plurahty of bottles and whlch when in another position will be admirably adapted for supporting clothes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer of the above character which when in use will'be prevented from rocking on the handle and which will thereby remove the danger of upsetting the contents thereoi.

A still further object or" the invention is to provide a novel means for strengthening the ends of the standards at their weakest points and to combine this strengthening means with the handle securing means in such a. manner as to avoid complicating the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer of this nature which shall be of extremely simple construction, cheap to manufacture, and very ractical.

With these and other objects in view, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel ieatures'of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts. as will be" hereinafter described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my 111- vention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying draw ings, in whic Figure 1 is a top plan view partly in section, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the standards, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section, illustrating the connection between the standards and tray, Fig. 5 is a section taken on the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the partition plate is connected to'the standards.

Generally speaking, my improved sterilizer comprisesa plurality of standards, a tray to which each standard is secured adjacent one end, a partition plate secured to the standards adjacent their other ends, and a. pair of bails or handles adapted to be removably secured to either end of each standard.

The standards, generally designated by the numeral 10, are four in number and are formed of angle iron. Each standard is provided at its ends with a. pairof laterally extending ears or projections 11 which cause the device to set firmly within a boiler. These cars 11 are formed by slitting the standards longitudinally adjacent each end and bending the end portions of the side walls 12 at an angle to the main portions thereof.

The tray is formed by a metallic band 13 and a woven wire screen 14 which is connected at its edges to said band in any suitable manner. The tray is oi a somewhat oval shape so that it will fit properly within the common type of wash boiler. A screw bolt 15 extends through one of the walls of each stancard, through the band 13, and has a nut 16 threaded upon its inner end into engagement with said band. fastening members connect the standards securely to the tray and space said tray from they bot-tom of the boiler. It will be noted that the screen being bent upwardly against the outer side of the band 13 is firmly clamped thereagainst when the nuts 16 are tightened.

A partition plate, generally designated 17, of ashape similar to the tray, is secured to the standards in spaced relation to said tray. Each standard carries upon its inner side an angular bracket 18 secured by rivets 19 and having a horizontal arm 20. ihe partition plate rests upon these arms and a screw bolt 21 having nuts 22 threaded thereon, eXtendthrough the plate and arms, locking these two members together. In Fig. 1 of the drawings the plate 17 is shown as provided with a plurality of circular openings 23 into which nursing botties may be placed, and four larger openings 2 1 in which ordinary milk bottles may These be placed, but it is to be understood, that the size and number of these openings may be varied as practical conditions require.

A curved rod 27 is secured adjacent each end of each standard by having its ends fixed in the side walls 12 of the standard. These rods are disposed in horizontal planes and are for the purpose of connecting the bails or handles 28 to the sterilizer. These horizontally disposed rods 27 are arranged not only to provide means for connecting the bails or handles to the sterilizer but are also designed to strengthen and reinforce the standards near their ends to prevent them from spreading so that the angular portion thereof will remain relatively at right angles even so the sterilizer may be roughly handled and the standards subjected to strain which would be apt to cause them to be deflected from their angular position. Each handle is bent to form a hook on each end, as indicated by the numeral 29, which hook may be removably connected to one of the rods 27.

The hooked portion of each of the handles extends parallel to the handle for a short distance and each of these parallel portions is arranged to engage the inner faces of their respective standards so as to prevent the handles or hails from swinging in one direction. It will thus be seen that when both bails are grasped by the user and pres: sure is applied which would tend to force the handles outwardly and away from each other that the hooked portions will engage the inner faces of the standards and thereby prevent the handles from moving outwardly thus holding the sterilizer against rocking,

When the sterilizer is to be used for sterilizing bottles, it is placed within a boiler with the tray positioned under the partition plate. The bottles rest upon the tray and extend through the openings in the plate. Then the sterilizer is to be used for sterilizing clothes or fabrics of any kind, it is placed within a boiler in an inverted position with the tray above the partition plate. The bottom of the tray will support the articles and the plate will serve to strengthen the entire device by holding the standards in proper position. The device is also admirably adapted for use in canning fruit, berries, and the like, and it is to be understood that many other uses may be made of the sterilizer. The handles may be easily attached to or detached from the standards, no matter in which position the'sterilizer is placed within a boiler.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the 'accompanying draw ings, it will be evident that I have produced a sterilizer which will be found very useful and practical and which may be used for different purposes, such as sterilizing bottles, heating the contents of bottles, steriliz ing fabrics, and canning fruits and other articles.

it is to be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my inventioml do not wish to be limited to this exact construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, but may make such changes as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim A sterilizer comprising pairs of angle iron standards, each of said standards being slitted longitudinally adjacent each. end thereof and having the end portions of the side walls bent at an angle to the main portion to form supporting ears, a metallic band secured to the standards and spaced therefrom, a woven wire screen positioned on the band and having its edges bent upwardly upon the sides of the band between the standards and the band to permit the standards to clamp the screen upon the band, curved rods secured to the sides of the standards adjacent the ends to reinforce the sides of the standards and form handle receiving ears, and handles having their ends bent to form hooks to engage the curved rods.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HERMINE BAEHR.

Witnesses:

ROBERT E. BLADES, Mrs. J OHN M. CARTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

